8/11 Animal Blood Pressure Test

My Ravan has high blood pressure. He takes 1/4 of an amlodipine tab every day. Everytime I have it checked at the vet his BP is all over the place. 120 to 200 ?? It costs $40 each time!

I was wondering if anyone has tried the BP machines for animals they sell on the internet? I wonder if they're at all accurate? With the $'s I've spent having him tested I could have bought a machine already

 

I am anxiously waiting for feedback
Thanks

 

I vaguely remember @tiffmaxee buying one for Max.
Hopefully, she'll see the tag.

 

How many milligrams is that 1/4 tablet? My kidney cat was diagnosed with high blood pressure but it is being well managed with 1.25 mg amlodipine daily.

 

The tablets are 2.5 mg so your kitty is getting 1/2 of a tab. My Ravan gets 1/4 of a 2.5 tablet. (.62)

What is Gypsy's Blood Pressure on the meds? How often do you have her checked?
They tell me that Ravan's average is 160.

 

@Jill & Alex (GA)
Thanks Jill I haven't heard anything yet. Maybe tomorrow?

 

Good memory @Jill & Alex (GA)

What do you want to know Krystina?

 

I've only tried Cardiocommands Petmap+ Bloodpressure machine, which veterenarians use too, besides the Doppler. It was very expensive in 2013, so maybe the price has lowered since then. I liked the Petmap+ because it comes with many various sizes of BP cat for-arm cuffs, can do intervall BP's and it's graficals while counting down and BP number and puls. Plus you can check often at home.

The drawback is perhaps trying to get the stiff BP cuff on around the front leg above the foot, and hold cat still for such a long time if Cat isn't calm and doesn't trust you 100 % that it is not a dangerous thing, since the cats easily gets startled by such, it's cuff blow up pressure, it's noice e.t.c. I also believe one have to test out a few times before one can determine what's accurate because the cuff itself is very stiff.

 

I bought a Parks 811 I believe Doppler and all that went with it. My cuffs are soft. I got the Doppler cheap refurbished on eBay but I still paid a lot by the time I was done.

http://www.parksmed.com/

 

Found the strip. It's NIBP, Systolic/Diastolic and "Mean" (not sure what that means). They take several measurements. These numbers were also taken when she was diabetic without any meds. She was drinking and urinating like there was no tomorrow for a while.

132/108 96
130/110 100
130/108 97
131/108 96
127/105 94

 

Here is an Abstract from Petmaps concerning accuracy - it's a comparison of used cuff sites and versus Doppler



Accuracy of a Species and Cuff Site Optimized Oscillometric BP Monitor in CatsWilliam Muir DVM, PhD, ACVA, ACVECC
The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210

petMAP is a new device for the indirect measurement of BP in cats using the oscillometric technique. The petMAP’s small size makes it uniquely versatile providing data that has been individually optimized for cats, and cuff site (forelimb, tail, and hind limb).

petMAP was tested in lightly anesthetized cats (N=10) by comparing cuff readings at all three locations to simultaneously recorded intra-arterial pressure measurements. The mean and standard deviations of the differences between the two methods for systolic (SAP), mean (MAP), and diastolic (DAP)

arterial pressure were analyzed and displayed as Bland-Altman and correlation plots. The best agreement was achieved on the forelimb.

The mean and standard deviations in mmHg for the differences in SAP, MAP, and DAP were, respectively,
-0.4 +/-11.2, -1.5 +/-5.2, -2.1 +/-6.6 (a negative mean value is underestimation of arterial pressure by the petMAP compared to intra-arterial readings).

petMAP results compared favorably with:

1) the results reported for the Cardell oscillometric blood pressure monitor in anesthetized cats (N=6) on the clipped forelimb (BP ranges combined):
-11.6+/-7.5, -0.9 +/-6.2 , -0.1 +/-4.1 [Ref 1],

2) with the Dinamap oscillometric blood pressure monitor on awake cats (N=11) tail (best site, sign of mean reversed for consistency): -9.5 +/-17.8, -21.1 +/-13.1, -17.3 +/-10.8 [Ref 2], and

3) the Doppler (N=11) ultrasonic blood pressure monitor on the metatarsus (best site, sign of mean reversed for consistency, systolic only): - 9.4 +/-14.9 [Ref 2]. Our data suggests that the petMAP offers improved
accuracy of systolic BP measurement in cats and provides comparable or better accuracy for MAP and diastolic pressures as compared to other popular oscillometric and Doppler devices.

1. Pederson, et al, J Am Vet Med Assoc 2002; 221:646-650
2. Bins, et al, J Vet Int Med 1995; 9:405-414

Hope you find something. I think it is great to be able to check often at home.

 

Years ago I bought the VetDop, which is a doppler monitor and the same thing the university vet school was using. It was pricey but I was desperate as NO vets within 60 miles had the ability to do a BP reading and by the time I got to any of those clinics, the stress of the car trip would have wildly inflated the results. My kitty had already gone blind from partially detached retinas caused by hypertension secondary to kidney disease, and I was determined to manage her high blood pressure before the retinas fully detached. My vet borrowed it a few times and liked it enough that he bought one for his practice. I still use that machine to this day and have compared it to results with the vet school with spot-on results.

Back then I don't know that there were any other choices on the market. The VetDop reads the systolic (top) number only, and that's all vets are really looking for in a cat The protocol is to do 5 or so readings spaced at least a minute apart and then average the readings. I was never charged "per reading" but rather once for the overall average.

To get valid readings on the VetDop and similar type machines, it's very important to make sure you're using the correct cuff size. My kit came with multiple cuffs. You also have to figure out where to pick up a pulse (I use a back leg), which can be tricky even for vets. You also have to get the hang of inflating/releasing air from cuff and listening for the first sound of any pulse. My kit has headphones, which I use if the room is noisy or the cat is spooky (everything is basically amplified so there can be some weird sounds while trying to find the pulse, which scares some cats). Overall it's not hard, just takes some getting used to. A couple of my cats would sleep right through it whereas others required two sets of hands.

Of course maybe they have some automated pet BP contraptions on the market now similar to what they offer for humans. If so, have no idea about those but would be interested in others' experiences.

 

Gypsy's readings look good. My Ravan is 160 163,160 158 160 I thought his were kinda high but my Vet said they were good? I don't think he's right?

 

The internet reports this. I since blood pressure has been under control and I can't measure it at home, I've not read anything about treatment and dosage. I recommend talking to your vet about the numbers, mentioning that they are quite a bit above normal range. Perhaps they had some other sings that the cat was stressed.

"Normal systolic pressure in dogs and cats is in the 120-130 mmHg range. An allowance of up to 160 mmHg systolic is often used since many of our patients are quite anxious in the hospital setting (“white coat effect”). Just like in humans, pets can have high blood pressure or systemic hypertension."